I’m reading The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday, and what can I say? It’s challenging and inspiring all at the same time. I first heard about this book from a podcast called Your Business is Your Life. This book is something that I can see myself reading again periodically, just to give myself that nudge to keep pushing through. I highly recommend it.

New ways to createI’ve been hearing about Risograph printing a lot recently and it seems really cool. I love learning about new production techniques and seeing how other designers are using them. I for sure want to try it, and I know someone that just got one of these in their studio.

Your mission in 8 words
I first saw this video of Kevin Starr from Mulago Foundation when I was prepping for the SVA’s Impact! Design for Social Change, a week-long residency. This video was eye-opening and I watch it often when I’m trying to synthesize the mission of something I’m working on. If you can’t say what you do, or your purpose in a few words, then its too complicated.

What it’s like to paint a muralA secret dream of mine is to paint a mural. I love street art, from conceptual to graffiti and everything in between. Reading about this Heather Day’s process has helped me understand what it might be like. One day…

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Telling your story and the impact you have can be difficult. It takes planning and resources, so here are a few tips on how to DIY a “Behind the Scenes” marketing campaign.

First, spend some time thinking about the actual project/initiative you’re working on and what kind of behind the scenes story you want to tell. Are you working with a photographer to get some client stories for your website? Or maybe putting together your Fall line of sustainable accessories? Each one will call for a slightly different approach.

Take pictures and video of everything.

Equipment, accessories, production assembly line

Transporting and going to venue

Setting everything up

People in action

Team meetings and gatherings

Taking a break and having fun

Take notes and ask questions

Capture funny things said and profound insights from participants

Get someone that participated to write about what it was like from their point of view.

Now edit and upload

Post 1-2 per day on your social media accounts. If you have multiple accounts try to use slightly different angles and cropping, so that it doesn’t seem like the same exact picture is being used. Add text to provide context, tag people, and use a hashtag.

Combine a few into grids using apps like Layout.

Add some to your blog or website.

Using an app like Canva and design a graphic with a quote from one of the participants

Feature a short synopsis of the day by one of the participants on your blog or website.

A few things to keep in mind

Bring extra cameras

Have someone dedicated to taking pictures and talking to participants

Be flexible and a fly on the wall

Tell a story using images and interviews

Don’t be a perfectionist

Everyone loves to see how things come together and get a glimpse behind the curtain. This is your opportunity to showcase your dedicated team and the hard work they put in—even if it’s a team of one.

Have you done a behind the scenes campaign before? What worked and didn’t work?

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Your in-house designer is great, but what if you could have a design consultant to really help your organization be more effective and forward-thinking. With an in-house designer, you’re already ahead of the game. They are great at helping plan and create the graphics and materials you’ll need, but are often times bogged down producing and can’t stop to think about the big picture, or help with strategy. That’s where a design consultant can help by looking at both the macro and micro, as well provide your designer with tools to make their job easier.

A design consultant is your creative director when you need one, and can help you with:

assist with implementation

provide recommendations

diagnosis the problem

provide solutions

As well as:

make your organization more efficient and effective be providing you with systems and strategies

build consensus by working with your stakeholders and getting them all on the same page

How do you strengthen your in-house designer’s role?

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I love creative, interesting businesses that make a difference. I also love to eat. When you combine these two, that’s when things really start to get interesting. For a long time making a profit meant that you didn’t care about the community or changing the system. That is no longer the case.

I first visited Union Kitchen, near Gallaudet University, a few years ago. It seemed like a cool place — hip, but not pretentious, with different types of food to choose from and interesting people in front of, and behind, the counters. I didn’t realize how much more they had to offer and how big their mission was.

Find a need, fill it, and fill it again

It all started when co-founders Jonas Singer & Cullen Gilchrist, of The Blind Dog Café, needed a commercial kitchen, and moved into a warehouse that was too big. They looked for others to share the space and soon realized they had other needs in common. By offering membership and business services, Union Kitchen could help local businesses create and prosper, and contribute to building the city they wanted to live in. And so their focus grew — becoming a food incubator working to create a profitable, sustainable, and just food system.

It’s so much more than foodUnion Kitchen has a mission to bring local products to market in a way that drives community development. Sprinkled around the city, you’ll find Union Kitchen’s grocery store, production facility, and pop-up shop. All of which are meant to touch a different aspect of food and the community.

Supporting local food trucks, restaurateurs, bakers, caterers, and food entrepreneurs Union Kitchen is able to serve them in a multitude of capacities, covers all the bases. Some of the local products you find at Whole Foods are thanks in part to them, and some members have even moved on to opening their own brick and mortar shops. They believe whole-heartedly in the Made in DC movement.

If you’re hungry, need a gift or ingredients, or are even a budding entrepreneur, Union Kitchen has something to offer. And you can be sure that you’re helping to create the community we want to live in. Visit http://unionkitchendc.com/ to learn more about how they make local scalable.

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I’ve decided to offer free design consultations to potential clients. Why? Helping nonprofit and social-driven leaders use design and creativity to increase their impact lights my fire. I honestly think about it all the time. I also know that setting a budget for some nonprofits and social enterprises can be tough especially if they never invested in design before.

There is a different way of working
I want to show you what thoughtful design can do and how to leverage the resources you have.

You don’t have to invest $$ right away. I believe in sharing knowledge and resources. I believe that with understanding a bit about the problem you’re facing, a solution will be in reach. A solution that allows you to use your existing resources, as well as a big hairy one that makes your heart pound with excitement.

First I’ll ask you to answer a few questions about your organization and the problem you’re facing. This is standard procedure. It helps designers figure out what the actual deliverables might be: a 5-page website, a 20-page annual report, a new identity with a stationary package, etc., etc. It may come as a surprise, but often people say they want one thing, but after a few probing questions it turns out they need a lot more.

Ideas for the taking
After I review your answers, I’ll spend time brainstorming your issue. We’ll schedule a video, or in-person, chat where we can talk about how you might go about designing the social impact you dream of and bounce a few ideas around. What you do afterward is up to you.

You can take the idea and DIY it, hire someone else to do it, or we can begin officially working together to make it happen.

If there was ever a magic potion for picking the brain of a seasoned creative…this is it. Email me at rebecca@studio-civico.com because I can’t wait to get started.